Ipswich real estate agent Michael Maloney battling grade four brain cancer

A well-known Queensland real estate agent has been told he has less than two years to live after he was diagnosed with a type of brain cancer.

Ipswich real estate agent Michael Maloney is battling grade four brain cancer. Photo: Supplied

A well-known Queensland real estate agent has been told he has less than two years to live after he was diagnosed with a type of brain cancer.

Ipswich man Michael Maloney was diagnosed with terminal grade four Astrocytoma IDH mutant last December.

Mr Maloney moved with his family from South Africa to Australia in 2006 and completed his schooling at Dalby. After completing his schooling, he studied law at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba.

He then moved to Ipswich after deciding to pursue a career in to real estate. Six weeks later he was diagnosed.

Michael Maloney studied law before working in real estate. Photo: Supplied

Mr Maloney, who works at RE Realty, was taken to Ipswich Hospital on December 13 after feeling unwell at work. Late that evening, his mum received a call from a doctor.

Michael Maloney in hospital after he was diagnosed with grade four brain cancer. Photo: Supplied

“We received a phone call from the doctor and the doctor asked me, ‘am I sitting or am I standing?,” she said.

“I said, ‘No, I’m in bed’ and she said, ‘Hello, Mrs Maloney, but I’m very sorry to tell you that Michael has a very large brain tumour and we will be transferring him to the Princess Alexandra Hospital’.”

Mrs Maloney said it was “heartbreaking”.

“He’s our only child, and we only had one in a million chance of ever having a baby, and then we had him, and he went through a lot since birth, and to get this terminal diagnosis, it’s very hard on us,” she said.

Michael Maloney with his family in hospital. Photo: Supplied

Mrs Maloney rushed from Dalby to be by her son’s bedside.

Mr Maloney had his first surgery on December 18, before going under the knife again two days after Christmas.

“It’s a very big part of the brain that’s been affected and they removed a certain part of the brain as well,” Ms Maloney said.

Mrs Maloney was told that her son needed to undergo further treatment.

“He had his second surgery, and then they told us that he has grade four astrocytoma and he needs to get chemo and radiation,” Ms Maloney said.

“He has been through six weeks of radiation and he’s going to start his third round of chemo next week.”

Michael Maloney had a part of his brain removed during surgery. Photo: Supplied

Mr Maloney will be marking his 25th birthday on May 28, one week before starting his third round of chemotherapy.

Mrs Maloney said her son was keeping positive – continuing to work and train at the gym.

Michael Maloney is keeping positive despite his diagnosis and has been training in the gym. Photo: Supplied

“Remarkably Michael has been very positive through this whole ordeal,” she said.

“He is working from home and his boss has been very accommodating with letting him work.

“He is going to the gym, he’s bench pressing 145kg at the moment, in one session he was lifting the equivalent of a bus.

“The doctor nearly had a heart attack when he was hearing what Michael is doing in the gym, but he said ‘that is keeping him positive, so let him do it’.

“He is focused on his health and mental health which is really good.

“Michael’s cancer is terminal, but we have faith that Michael is a fighter.”

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been launched to help Mr Maloney afford his living expenses such as rent and bills, while he battles brain cancer.

The fundraiser can be found here.

Originally published as Ipswich real estate agent Michael Maloney battling grade four brain cancer